The Editor,
This letter is about the Austin Heights Neighbourhood Plan (AHNP). There has been a height moratorium for the Austin corridor for some time now but city council wants to address this before the end of the year.
In the current plan, 15 sites have been proposed for 15-storey towers. Which sites? We have many concerns regarding this new AHNP. About 10 to 12 years ago, the neighbourhood renewal plan showed row housing and shops at street level but no towers. As we recall, there were to be buildings — about six storeys — with commercial space at street level and office/residential above that. The document mentioned small-scale additions may be made.
So when The Austin tower was proposed, it’s likely people assumed this was the beginning of that plan and were shocked to find that a 24- or 25-storey structure was proposed (at a council meeting in November 2011, it was reduced to 19 storeys, just like that).
One argument raised at that council meeting was that developers couldn’t turn a dollar unless they built towers. The Charland development is surely making money as well as the apartments homes on Cottonwood, so we think that argument may be a red herring.
Before the moratorium is removed, council needs to ensure that there is extensive consultation from residents, not just from developers and business owners. We note that some options are coming before council to deal with this issue. Council needs to be informed of resident opposition to turning Austin Avenue into a concrete canyon of towers. Concerns with consultation, or lack thereof, still remain since 2011, when well over 200 people showed up at city hall to oppose The Austin.
Is low-cost housing in the plan? What happened to the row-houses? Are developers pressuring city council to build more 20 to 25 storey towers?
For residents — not business owners — in the AHNP area, an email address is available to voice your opinions: [email protected]. A Facebook page with the same heading is also available for posting comments.
Lorell Gingrich, Mary Brown & Steve Bailey, Coquitlam
